Forecast IELTS Speaking Part 1 for the first quarter of 2024

As the new year unfolds, prospective IELTS candidates brace themselves for the challenges and opportunities that the Speaking section presents. In the first quarter of 2024, the anticipated themes for IELTS Speaking encompass a wide array of topics, ranging from work and study to leisure activities and technology. Let’s delve into the forecasted main ideas and sample questions for each topic area:

IELTS Speaking Part 1:

1. Work or Study

• Do you work or are you a student?
• What work do you do?
• What subjects are you studying?
• Do you like your job? Is there anything you dislike about your job?
• Why did you choose to do that type of work (or that job)?
• Do you like your subject?
• Why did you choose to study that subject?
• Do you want to change your major?
• What do you like/dislike about your studies?
• What was your dream job when you were young?
• Have you chaned your mind on your dream job?

2. Hometown:

• Please desribe your hometown a little.
• What is your town well-known for?
• Do you like your home town?
• Is that a big city or a small place?
• How long have you been living there?
• Do you think you will continue living there for a long time?
• Would you like to live in the countryside in the future?
• Have you ever lived in the countryside?
• Do you ever spend time in the countryside?
• What is the difference between living in the countryside and the city?
• What do pepple living in the countryside like to do?
• What do you like to do in the countryside?
• How has your town changed over the last 20 years?

3. Home, decoration:

• What colour would you choose to paint the walls of your room?
• What colour would you never use in your home?
• Can you describe the place where you live?
• What kind of housing accommodation do you live in?
• What do you like about your flat?
• Which room does your family spend most of the time in?
• What can you see from the windows where you live?
• Do you prefer living in a house or a flat?
• What would you like to change in your flat?
• What do you dislike about your flat?

4. Fishing:

• Is fishing popular in your country?
• Have you ever been to a place where there are lots of fish around you?
• Have you seen any movies featuring lots of fish?
• Why do some people like fishing?
• Do you like eating fish?
• Where can you see fish?

5. Robots:

• Are robots important?
• How do robots affect our lives?
• Are you interested in robots?
• Did you like any films about robots when you were a child?
• Do you use robots in daily life?
• Would you like robots to work at your home?
• Will you feel comfortable if you are in a car driven by a robot?

6. Geography:

• Have you ever studied geography at school?
• Do you like geography?
• Do you want to travel to a country because of its geographical conditions?
• Do you want to be a geography teacher?
• Do you think geography is useful?

7. Gifts/ Presents:

• How do we choose gifts?
• What kinds of gifts do you usually like receiving?
• What kind of gifts are popular in your country?
• What’s the best gift you have ever received?
• What do you give others as gifts?
• How often do you buy gifts for other people?
• Why do people give gifts?
• Have you ever received a gift which you didn’t like?
• Are you good at choosing gifts for other people?
• Have you ever given a person a gift you made yourself?
• What do you consider when choosing a gift?

8. Running:

• Do you like running?
• Where do you run?
• Which places do you think are perfect for running?
• Do you think running is a good way to stay healthy?
• Do you go running a lot? 
• How often do you run?
• What do you think of running as a form of exercises?
• Where do you usually go running?
• When was the last time you went running?
• What do you think of running as a sport?

9. Films/ Cinema:

• Do you like to watch films?
• What kind of movies do you like best?
• How often do you go to a cinema to watch a movie?
• What was the first film that you watched?
• Do you like to watch movies alone or with your friends?
• Do you prefer foreign films or films made in your country?
• Did you usually go to the cinema when you were a child?
• Do you often go to the cinema with your friends?
• Do you still like the same kind of movie which you liked when you were a child?
• What genres of films do you like?
• Do you think going to the cinema is a good way to spend time with friends?

10. Coffee or tea:

• Are tea and coffee popular in your country?
• Do people like tea or coffee nowadays?
• Do you like to drink coffee or tea?
• How often do drink coffee or tea?
• Do Vietnamese people like to drink coffee or tea?
• Do you prefer to use tea or coffee to serve your guests?
• When was the last time you drank coffee or tea?

11. Noise

• Do you mind noises?
• Do any noises brother you?
• Are there any sounds that you like?
• Do you like to stay in a noisy place?
• Are there any quiet places in your city?
• Do you like loud music?
• What kinds of noises are there in the area where you live?/ What type of noise do you come across in your daily life?
• Do you want to move to a quieter place?
• Do you think there is too much noise in today’s world?
• Is making noise one of people’s rights?

12. Musical instrument

• Do you know how to play a musical instrument?
• Do you think students should learn to play musical instruments at school?
• Have you taken any classes on musical instruments in school?
• Which musical instrument do you like?
• How easy would it be to learn to play a musical instrument without a teacher?

13. Helping others:

• Do you usually help people around you?
• How do you help people around you?
• Do your parents teach you how to help others?
• Did your parents help you a lot when you were young?
• What have you done to help the elderly?

14. Maps:

• When was the first time when you used a map?
• Did you learn to use a map when you were a child?
• Do you prefer elcetronic of paper map?
• Do you often use map?
• How often do you use maps on your phone?
• Are you good at using maps?
• Are there any maps in your home?

15. Chatting:

• Do you like chatting with friends?
• What do you usually chat about with friends?
• Do you prefer to chat with a group of people or with only one friend?
• Do you prefer to communicate face-to-face or via social media?
• Do you argue with friends?

16. Clothes:

• What kind of clothes do you like to wear?
• What kind of clothes do you never wear?
• Do you wear the same style of clothes on weekdays and weekends?
• What color colthes do you like to wear?
• Do people in your country like to wear bright colors?
• What are the differences between men and women’s preference in color?
• 1. How much time do you spend in choosing clothes every day?
• 2. Do you prefer casual clothes or smart clothes?
• 3. Did you choose your own clothes when you were young?
• 4. Do you like wearing T-shirts?

17. Transportation:

• How do you go to work/school?
• What’s the most popular means of transportation in your hometown?
• How far is it from your home to work/school?
• Do you think people will drive more in the future?
• Are there any traffic problems in your area?
• How would you improve transport in your town or area?
• How would you reduce traffic problems in you area?
• Will you use public transport more in the future?
• How do you think public transport could be improved?

18. Advertisements/ commercials:

• 1. Do you like watching advertisements?
• 2. Will you buy something because of an advertisement?
• 3. How do you feel when you see pop-up ads on the internet?
• 4. Do you like funny or serious advertisements?
• 5. What makes a good advertisement?
• 6. Were there any advertisements that impressed you when you were young?
• 7. Will you do work related to advertising?
• 8. What kind of advertisements are shown in public places?
• 9. Do you often remember advertisements/commercials that you’ve seen? (Why/Why not?)
• 10. What do you usually do when an advertisements/a commercials comes on TV or the internet?
  (Why/Why not?)
• 11. Have you ever seen an advertisements/a commercials that you really didn’t like? (Why?). Would you like to be in an advertisements/a commercials one day? (What kind/Why/Why
  not?)

19. Money/ Spending Money

• 1. Do you spend a lot of money?
• 2. What do you usually spend money for?
• 3. Do you use credit card?
• 4. Do you think you will use cash more in the future?
• 5. How do Vietnamese people generally make payments?
• 6. How do you save money?
• 7. What do you think of e-payment?
• 8. Do you often use credit cards?
• 9. Do you think cash will still be popular in the future?
• 10. Do you like spending money or saving money?

20. Losing things

• 1. Do you often lose things?
• 2. What can we do to avoid losing things?
• 3. Why do some people tend to lose things more often than others?
• 4. What will you do if you find something lost by others?

21. Sunglasses

• 1 Do you often wear sunglasses?
• 2 Do you spend a lot of money on sunglasses?
• 3 Do you give sunglasses as a gift?
• 4 Why do you wear sunglasses?

22. Cake or dessert

• 1 Do you like cakes or desserts?
• 2 Why do some people not like eating sweet food?
• 3 Did you like eating cakes when you were young?
• 4 Do you know how to bake a cake?
• 5 Are there any traditional Vietnamese desserts?
• 6. Did you enjoy cakes and sweets when you were a child? (Why/ Why not?)
• 7. Have you ever made a cake yourself? (Why/Why not?)
• 8. On what occasions do people in your culture eat special cakes or other sweet food? (Why?)
• 9. Do you enjoy eating something sweet at the end of a meal? (Why/Why not?)

23. Social media

• 1 When did you start to use social media?
• 2 Do you think you spend too much time on social media?
• 3 What do people do on social media?
• 4 Do your friends use social media?

24. Memory/ Remembering

• 1 What do you have to remember to do every day?
• 2 Is it easy for you to forget to do these things?
• 3 Are you good at remembering things?
• 4 How do you help yourself to remember things?
• 5 Have you ever forgotten something that was important?

25. Video games

• 1 Do you play video games?
• 2 What kinds of video games do you like to play?
• 3 Is it good for young people to play video games?
• 4 Do you often watch others play video games?
• 5 Have you ever played a video game? (Why/Why not?)
• 6 Do you thinK some people spend too much time playing video games? (Why/Why not?)
• 7 Are you interested in watching other people play video games?(Why/Why not?)
• Would you prefer to play a video game on your own or with others? (Why/Why not?)

26. Colours

• 1 What is your favourite colour?
• 2 Are there any colours that have a special meaning in your culture?
• 3 Do you usually wear clothes in your favourite colour?
• 4 What is your preferred car colour for purchase?
• 5 What color of clothes do you not like to wear?
• 6. Do you think different types of people like different colors?

27. Celebrities in News/ Famous people in the news

• 1 Which famous person is often reported in news?
• 2 Do you like reading news?
• 3 Do you think news reports are always correct?
• 4. Do you have a favorite celebrity?
• 5. Do famous people often appear in the news?
• 6. Do you like to follow celebrities in the news?
• 7. Do you believe that the news about famous people in the media is true?
• 8. Would you liKe to be famous and in the news? (Why/Why not?)

28. Crowded place

• 1 Is the city where you live crowded?
• 2 Is there a crowded place near where you live?
• 3 Do you like crowded places?
• 4 When was the last time you were in a crowded place?

29. Feeling bored

• 1 Do you often feel bored?
• 2 What kinds of things would make you feel bored?/ What sort of things do you find most boring now?(Why/Why not?)
• 3 What will you do if you feel bored?
• 4 Do you think childhood is boring or adulthood is boring?
• 5. Did you ever find school boring, when you were a child? (Why/Why not?)
• 6. What do you do to stop yourself feeling bored?( Why/Why not?)

30. Singing

• 1 Do you like singing? Why?
• 2 Do you have any singing classes at school?
• 3 Do you think there are many Vietnamese that can sing?/ Do many people in Vietnam know how to sing?
• 4. Does your school teach you to sing?
• 5. Did you enjoy singing when you were younger?
• 6. Do you think singing can bring happiness to people?

31. Music

• What kinds of music do you like to listen to?
• What kinds of music are most popular in your country?
• Have you ever learnt to play a musical instrument?
• Is music an important subject at school in your country?
• When did you start listening to that type of music?
• Do you often listen to music?
• When do you listen to music?
• How much time do you spend listening to music every day?
• How do you feel when you listen to it?
• Do you like listening to songs?

32. Collecting things

• What items are considered collectibles in your country?
• Is collecting a popular pastime in your country?
• Do a lot of people in your country collect things?
• Why do people like collecting?
• What are the benefits of collecting?
• Do you collect things?

33. Different stages in life.

• • What did you enjoy most about your childhood?
• • What’s the best thing about being the age you are now? [Why?]
• • What do you hope you’ll be doing in five years’ time? [Why?]
• • How can people remember all the different stages in their lives? [Why/Why not?]

Some backup topics (no need to review them carefully)

31. Volunteers

• 1. Have you participated in any volunteer work?
• 2. Why did you do the volunteer work?
• 3. Do you know any volunteers?
• 4. How do you define volunteer work?

32. Cooking

• 1. Do you enjoy cooking?
• 2. Do you like to cook for yourself or other people?
• 3. What kind of food can’t you cook?
• 4. Do you think cooking is a way to reduce stress?

33. Shoes

• 1. Would you pick a pair of shoes that are comfortable or stylish?
• 2. Do you consider shoes to be your priority while going shopping?
• 3. Are shoes expensive in your country?
• 4. What kind of shoes would you wear on formal events?

34. Candles

• 1. When do you often use candles?
• 2. Do you think candles are dangerous to use?
• 3. Do you think that candles are important for a birthday cake?
• 4. Would you prefer using candles or flashlights when the lights go out?

35. Chairs

• 1. What kinds of chairs do you have in your room?
• 2. Do you prefer sitting on a wooden chair or a sofa?
• 3. Would you choose a chair that is sturdy or comfortable?
• 4. Do you think a good chair will improve your health?

36. Sky

• 1. Do you often look at the sky?
• 2. Do you like to watch stars?
• 3. Do you prefer to look at the sky during the day or night?
• 4. Where is the best view of the sky where you live?
• 5. Is star-gazing popular in your country?

37. Cards and invitations

• 1. Do you often send cards?
• 2. On what occasions do you send cards
• 3. Do you prefer to receive cards or emails?
• 4. Is sending cards common in your country?

38. Boats

• 1. Have you ever taken a ride on a boat?
• 2. Do you like traveling by boat?
• 3. Will traveling by boats become more popular in the future?
• 4. Are cruise ships popular in your country?

39. Dictionaries

• 1. Have you ever used a dictionary?
• 2. Do you prefer paper or electronic dictionaries?
• 3. Are dictionaries used a lot in your foreign language classes?
• 4. Do you think dictionaries are useful?

40. Convenience store

• 1. How often do you shop at convenience stores?
• 2. Are convenient stores popular in your country?
• 3. What kind of items are often sold in your local convenience stores?
• 4. Are items in convenient stores more expensive in your country?

41. Numbers

• 1. Are you good at memorizing numbers?
• 2. What kinds of numbers do you usually have to remember?
• 3. Have you ever forgotten your phone number?
• 4. What do you do to memorize different phone numbers?

Above is the set of forecasted topics for IELTS Speaking Part 1 for Quarter 1 (January, February, March, April 2023) from The SOL Education. Please prepare thoroughly before entering the exam.